Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1545867
Community Schools Work The successful shared-governance model receives ongoing budget funding Students at Magnolia High's Agriscience Community Center in Anaheim after preparing a community dinner; Magnolia is one of 13 community schools in Anaheim Union High School District. O U R U N I O N ' S W O R K with community schools, in partnership with educators, families, communities, school districts and the state, has resulted in strong schools with engaged students that are the hubs of their neighborhoods. Students at community schools across the state have made major strides aca- demically and on social-emotional levels, according to a recent Learning Policy Institute study, including higher test scores and improved attendance. Both students and their families find supports at community schools that help them flourish, including mental and physical health services and resources, commu- nity assistance and educational offerings tailored to their needs. The 2026–27 State Budget reflects community schools' essential place in education, with $1 bil- lion in ongoing funding to the California Community Schools Partnership Program. This funding will help maintain and expand the community schools model, rooted in shared deci- sion-making among all stakeholders. Since the program's inception in 2021, about 2,500 schools, or about 25% of the state's campuses, have received grant funding. The new funding means an additional 3,700 schools would be eligible for funding each year. The new funding comes with strengthened, ongoing eligibility criteria; new accountability and oversight mea- sures; enhanced systems of support , including technical assistance; and more money for planning and implementing of the community schools model, including professional development. " Thanks to continued organizing and advocacy from educators across Cali- fornia, the State Budget now includes $1 billion for community schools along with stronger accountability measures to ensure districts implement a true bot- tom-up, democratic school model," said CTA President David Goldberg. "Our union has been proud to advocate for historic invest- ment in this model that brings educators, parents, students, community organizations and administrators to the same table to make decisions about their school together. At a time when public education is under attack at the federal level, in California we are investing in models that work and organizing together for the schools our students deserve." "At a time when public education is under attack at the federal level, in California we are investing in models that work and organizing together for the schools our students deserve." —CTA President David Goldberg Pittsburg families and community partners at a lunch gathering at Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High; all 13 schools in the district are community schools and have been recognized for their students' academic gains. 28 cta.org Advocacy